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Wednesday, May 2, 2012

PRACHI MISHRA on FEMINA MISS INDIA

Life
came a full circle for Allahabad girl, Prachi Mishra, on Friday, April
30, when she was crowned Miss India Earth 2012 in the glittering grand
finale of the Pantaloons Femina Miss India, 2012. The little girl who
used to copy the 'Miss India pose' - the flower bouquet in one hand,
while waving to the crowd with the other - in front of the mirror in the
privacy of her room, was doing it for real in front of a thousand
strong crowd. "Such an irony na - it's a moment I was waiting for all my
life but at the same time, the news, that I am a Miss India, has not
even sunk in," reacts an elated Prachi a day later amid the flurry of
interviews and photo ops.Of course, the presence of scores of friends
cheering for Prachi among the crowd at the sprawling Bhavan's College
ground definitely helped. "My best friend, Parul, came from Delhi to see
me on stage, my friends from Pune (where Prachi had been working prior
to competing in the PFMI) also came down. Though I really wish my elder
sister was here. I owe her a lot," smiles Prachi, agreeing that
competing in PFMI, or for that matter even dabbling in modelling, was a
tough choice for this girl from UP. "You know how it is... people still
think in a conservative manner when it comes to modelling and acting.
And more than that, they feel these fields are not safe. But that is a
notion I have to dispel. I, too, was apprehensive at first but the team
made me feel so comfortable..." As for her parents, Prachi admits
convincing them was not easy. "My father told me categorically, 'Finish
your studies and then you can do what you want to.' And I did just that,
finished studies, gained an MBA degree and even got a job. And then I
thought of taking a chance with PFMI because now no one could stop me,"
reminisces Prachi.At the same time, Prachi admits she understands her
parents' worries. "It was a big risk, certainly. I quit my bank job to
participate in the PFMI contest. Had I not won the Miss India Earth
crown, I would have been looking for a job right now!"Also, her parents'
strictures on finishing her studies first was a blessing in disguise,
because, "I was confident of myself after having worked in a
professional environment. After all, how could answering judges be any
different from appearing in interviews or handling clients? I took the
PFMI crown as a target, and I'm pretty good at achieving mine," laughs
Prachi. However, that certainly does not mean it was a cakewalk all
through. Prachi admits to moments of indecision - like the bikini round.
"Oh yes, that was quite a worry," she laughs, explaining, "I had never
worn one ever, who in India does? And when we were told we had to wear
one, I asked myself, 'can I do it?' But then the team explained to us
that one, it was mandatory, and two what is the big deal about wearing a
bikini anyway? On the international ramp, everybody does it. Their
words worked and when I went on the stage in a bikini, I felt so good,
so confident. I felt 'I am looking like a queen, I have the most
beautiful body.' Bas."Prachi admits to already feeling the pressure for
the next step, the international arena. But for now, she says that all
she wants to do is to reach home and be with her mother. "My parents are
right now in Gorakhpur. I spoke to my mom on the phone. But I want to
hug her hard and tell her, 'your daughter's a Miss India now!'"